The private room fell silent all at once. Even those who had just been wallowing in heartbreak and despair turned their eyes to the tall, skinny boy, silently accusing him: This is your taste? This is how you liven up the mood?! This is your idea of feeling uplifted?!!

The tall, skinny boy was baffled too. He wanted to curse the little assistant who recommended the song, but when he met Amy Miller’s perfect face, he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. He only muttered, “I didn’t expect you to be this kind of assistant.”

“Don’t mind it, let’s just pick another song.” The tall, skinny boy raised his hand to change the song, but as the laughter faded and the intro began, he froze.

A slightly retro chord progression, a bit different from the mainstream, lively drumbeats, and the muddled timbre of the instruments, all arranged to rise like a sandstorm.

“It’s been so long

since I last spoke to you

...

In the same city

so many things make me stop in my tracks

Time passes so quickly,

I feel a bit nervous...”

The perfect blend of vocals, harmonies, and various instruments created a vivid atmosphere, as if an abandoned traveler was moving forward in loneliness, sighing over the past as if it were yesterday, with old friends gone and every step a struggle.

The widespread use of electronic music is something today’s listeners are very familiar with, but the electronic elements in this song were unconventional. Keen-eared professionals could usually tell a composer’s background from different parts of a song, but with this one, they just couldn’t!

The first half of the song carried a sorrowful, gloomy mood, and the high notes brought a sting to the nose. But gradually, things changed. After a stunning, soaring bass line, the song was elevated to another realm, and even the listener’s state of mind felt grander.

The chaotic, overwhelming emotions that poured out like a flood suddenly seemed to be blocked by a solid dam, and the listener’s mood felt like riding a roller coaster, soaring from the lowest point.

Sometimes, a song says more than a thousand words.

In the private room, the person sitting in the middle wiped away their tears and snot. “What’s this song called? I want to sing it.”

The tall, skinny boy snapped back to reality. Hearing this, his face twitched and he forced a smile. “It’s a new song. This place doesn’t have the backing track yet.”

“Then I’ll sing it a cappella.”

“……”

The others opened their mouths, wanting to say something, but held back. “Alright, as long as you’re happy.”

What’s it like to hear someone who’s tone-deaf sing a song a cappella in a fit of emotion?!

From the moment that tall guy belted out the first “ha,” everyone else in the room wore an expression of utter pain and speechlessness. They all immediately pulled out their headphones and put them on.

Forget it, they’d rather listen to the original and cleanse their ears.

Chapter 10: Exploding All the Way

The number of trial listens reflects the promotional power of the singer’s and composer’s company, but whether a song can keep listeners and get them to pay to download it depends on the song itself. There’s no doubt—this song has that power!

The current season’s chart is nearing its end. Although this song arrived late and had a disadvantage, its rapid climb caught the attention of many, especially those who keep an eye on the industry.

Climbing from the bottom of the chart into the top two hundred—few would notice.

From two hundred to one hundred—still not many pay attention.

But when this song broke into the top fifty in just three days, it was impossible to ignore.

As a debut single, “Ha Ha, My Dear You” shot up the charts at a speed that left many chart-watchers stunned.

Most of the listeners were students, but there were also seasoned veterans who studied composition and arrangement paying attention. For example, Professor Grant—he even made analyzing this song’s arrangement an exam question for his students, making them both love and hate the song.

But no matter what, the song was a success.

Just as Alan Duke had hoped, this song had the right timing, the right place, and the right people! Even though it entered late, it wasn’t too late, and its momentum was more than enough.

Ever since John Foster’s song was officially released, Alan Duke had been glued to the charts from morning till late at night every day. The download numbers for the other newcomers had slowed down and were nearing saturation, with little change on the charts. Only John Foster’s song—this was the most crucial one! It would determine whether Alan Duke got a raise or a promotion!

At Silver Wing Media, in Alan Duke’s office, the rookie competition for the season was nearing its end. There were no new songs to produce for now, so he wasn’t as busy as before. The ones who were busy now were the people in publicity and operations.

So lately, all Alan Duke did was watch the charts. He watched as John Foster’s song went from zero downloads to three digits, four digits, five digits, six digits...

On the ninth day after uploading, it finally broke a million!

Many new songs, even if they break a million downloads, slow down a lot afterward. But not John Foster’s! It hit a million in a “J”-shaped growth curve and was still surging ahead at full speed!

Staring at the numbers on the dashboard, Alan Duke’s bloodshot eyes didn’t move an inch. From eight in the morning until now, except for eating and going to the bathroom, he was like a man possessed, glued to the download count, every muscle tense, his brain in a state of high excitement.

None of the previous nine interns had made Alan Duke this nervous. John Foster was a true exception—he was shocked, surprised, and full of anticipation.